Cabinet having drawer locking device

ABSTRACT

A cabinet includes a number of drawers slidably attached to the receptacle which has a track, each drawer includes an actuator having two inclined surfaces and a flat surface, a number of latch members are slidably received in the track of the receptacle and each includes two end inclined surfaces for engaging with the inclined surfaces of the actuators, and a spring biasing device may bias the end protrusions of the latch members to anchor the other drawers to the receptacle, and thus to anchor and lock the other drawers to the receptacle when one of the drawers is pulled and moved out of the receptacle, and to prevent the other drawers from slipping out of the receptacle inadvertently.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cabinet, and more particularly to a cabinet having a locking device for locking drawers, and to allow only one of the drawers to be pulled and moved out of the cabinet, and to prevent the other drawers from slipping out of the cabinets or tool boxes inadvertently, particularly when the drawers receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools therein, and thus to prevent the drawers from hurting users.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical cabinets or tool boxes or the like may comprise a number pairs of drawer guides provided or disposed on two sides thereof, and a number of drawers each having two side runners slidably attached to the drawer guides, to slidably attach the drawers to the cabinets or tool boxes, and for receiving or storing various objects or tools.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,572,081 to Wallance discloses one of the typical furniture constructions comprising a number of drawers each having two side runners slidably attached to drawer guides of the furniture constructions. However, the furniture constructions have no lock device to lock the drawers in place, and when one of the drawers is pulled or moved out of the furniture constructions, the other drawers may have a good chance to slip out of the cabinets or tool boxes inadvertently, particularly when the drawers receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools. The slip out drawers and objects may hurt users or people.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,007 to Fler discloses a typical sliding drawer suspension comprising a sliding drawer having a channel-section outer rail, a channel-section intermediate rail nested within the channel-section of the outer rail, and an inner channel-section rail nested within the channel-section of the intermediate rail, and a flexible latch latches the inner rail to the intermediate rail during initial opening movement of the suspension, so that the nested inner and the intermediate rails reinforce one another and provide a stronger support.

However, the sliding drawer suspension also has no lock device to lock the drawers in place, when one of the drawers is pulled or moved out of the furniture constructions, the other drawers also may have a good chance to slip out of the cabinets or tool boxes inadvertently, particularly when the drawers receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools. The slip out drawers and objects may hurt users or people.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,624 to Terry et al. discloses a typical pass through transaction drawer with a hinged security flap, and also comprising a drawer having two side runners slidably attached to drawer guides of the building or the like. However, similarly, there is no lock device to lock the drawer in place, and when one of the drawers is pulled or moved out of the furniture constructions, the other drawers may have a good chance to slip out of the cabinets or tool boxes inadvertently, particularly when the drawers receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools.

For movable tool boxes, when drawers receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools therein, the drawers with the heavy objects or tools may have a good chance to slip out of the tool boxes inadvertently when one of the drawers is pulled or moved out of the tool box, and the slip out drawers and objects may hurt users or people.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional cabinets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a cabinet including a locking device for locking some of the drawers, and to allow only one of the drawers to be pulled and moved out of the cabinet, and to prevent the other drawers from slipping out of the cabinets or tool boxes inadvertently, particularly when the drawers receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools therein, and thus to prevent the drawers from hurting users.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a cabinet comprising a receptacle including a chamber formed therein and defined between two side portions, and including a number pairs of lateral drawer guides attached to the side portions thereof respectively, and including a track formed therein and defined between two side walls and an inner wall, a first drawer and a second drawer each including two side runners slidably attached to the drawer guides of the receptacle, to slidably attach the first and the second drawers to the receptacle, each of the first and the second drawers including an actuator provided thereon and having an upper inclined surface and a lower inclined surface and a flat surface formed therein, a number of latch members slidably received in the track of the receptacle, and each including two end protrusions provided thereon, each of the end protrusions including an inclined surface formed thereon, and arranged for engaging with the inclined surfaces of the actuators, to allow the latch members to be moved up and down along the track of the receptacle by the actuators of the first and the second drawers, and a spring biasing device for biasing the end protrusions of the latch members to engage with the flat surfaces of the actuators, and to anchor the drawers to the receptacle. The inclined surface of the actuator of the first drawer is forced to engage with the inclined surfaces of the latch members and to move the latch members up and down along the track of the receptacle, and to engage the end protrusions of the latch members with the flat surface of the actuator of the second drawer, and thus to anchor the second drawer to the receptacle when the first drawer is pulled and moved out of the receptacle. The other drawers may thus be prevented from slipping out of the receptacle inadvertently, particularly when the drawers receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools therein, and thus to prevent the drawers from hurting users.

A third drawer may further be provided and includes two side runners slidably attached to the drawer guides of the receptacle, and includes an actuator provided thereon and having an upper inclined surface and a lower inclined surface and a flat surface formed therein, the end protrusions of the latch members are forced to engage with the flat surface of the actuator of the third drawer and to anchor the third drawer to the receptacle when the first drawer is pulled and moved out of the receptacle.

The spring biasing device includes a block slidably received in the track of the receptacle, and engaged with the latch members, and a spring member engaged between the block and the receptacle, to bias the block to engage with the latch members, and to force the end protrusions of the latch members to engage with the flat surfaces of the actuators.

The block includes a slot formed therein, a fastener engaged through the slot of the block, and attached to the receptacle, to slidably secure the block to the track of the receptacle, and to limit the block to move relative to the receptacle. The end protrusions of the latch members each may further include a bulge extended upwardly therefrom and having the inclined surface formed thereon, for engaging with the corresponding inclined surfaces of the actuators of the drawers.

The receptacle includes a stop slidably received in the track thereof, and engaged with the latch members, and includes an oblong hole formed therein, a fastener engaged through the oblong hole of the stop, and attached to the receptacle, to slidably secure the stop to the track of the receptacle, and to limit the stop to move relative to the receptacle.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet having a drawer locking device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the cabinet and the drawer locking device;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan schematic view illustrating the operation of the drawer locking device for the cabinet;

FIG. 4 is another partial exploded view of the drawer locking device;

FIG. 5 is a further partial exploded view of the drawer locking device;

FIGS. 6, 7 are partial cross sectional views of the cabinet, taken along lines 6-6 and 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view illustrating the operation of the drawer locking device for the cabinet; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating one of the latch members for the drawer locking device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a tool box or a cabinet 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises a receptacle 10 including a chamber 11 formed therein and defined between two side portions 12, and including one or more pairs of lateral drawer guides 13 provided or disposed therein, and attached to the side portions 12 thereof, and including a vertical channel or track 14 formed therein and defined between two side walls 15 and an inner wall 16 (FIGS. 4-7).

One or more drawers 20 each includes two side runners 21 slidably attached to the drawer guides 13 of the receptacle 10, to slidably attach the drawers 20 to the receptacle 10 of the cabinet 1, and for receiving or storing various objects or tools therein. Each of the drawers 20 includes a bar or actuator 22 provided or attached to one side thereof (FIGS. 2, 3, and 8), and having a front cut off portion 23 or a front notch portion 23 formed therein, and having an upper inclined surface 24 and a lower inclined surface 24 formed in the upper and the bottom portions of the front portion thereof, and a flat surface 25 formed and located between the upper and the bottom inclined surfaces 24 thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 2-7, the receptacle 10 further includes a screw hole 17 formed in the lower portion of the inner wall 16 of the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10, and another screw hole 18 formed in the upper portion of the inner wall 16 of the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10. A number of latch members 30 are slidably received in the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10, for engaging with the drawers 20, and to allow only one of the drawers 20 to be pulled and moved out of the receptacle 10, and to prevent the other drawers 20 from slipping out of the receptacle 10 inadvertently, particularly when the drawers 20 receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools therein.

As best shown in FIGS. 2-3 and 8-9, each of the latch members 30 includes two end protrusions 31, 32 provided thereon, and each of the end protrusions 31, 32 includes a bulge 33 extended upwardly therefrom and having an inclined surface 34 formed thereon, and arranged for engaging with the inclined surfaces 24 of the actuator 22, and thus for allowing the latch members 30 to be moved or forced up and down along the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10, by the actuator 22 of the drawers 20, best shown in FIGS. 3 and 8.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4 and 6, a block 40 is also slidably received in the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10, and disposed or located below the latch members 30, for engaging with the latch members 30, and includes a slot 41 formed therein. A fastener 42 is engaged through a washer 43, and engaged through the slot 41 of the block 40, and threaded or engaged with the lower screw hole 17 of the receptacle 10, to slidably secure the block 40 to the track 14 of the receptacle 10, and to limit the block 40 to move relative to the receptacle 10.

A spring member 44 is also received or engaged within the slot 41 of the block 40, and engaged with or between the block 40 and the fastener 42 of the receptacle 10, to bias the block 40 to engage with the latch members 30, or to move or to force the latch members 30 upwardly along the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10. The spring member 44 and/or the block 40 may thus be formed as a spring biasing means or device for biasing the end protrusions 31, 32 of the latch members 30 to engage with the flat surfaces 25 of the actuator 22, and thus to anchor or to lock the drawers 20 to the receptacle 10.

As shown in FIGS. 2-3, 5 and 7, a stop 60 is also slidably received in the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10, and disposed or located above the latch members 30, for engaging with the latch members 30, and includes an oblong hole 61 formed therein. A fastener 62 is engaged through a washer 63, and engaged through the oblong hole 61 of the stop 60, and threaded or engaged with the upper screw hole 18 of the receptacle 10, to slidably secure the stop 60 to the track 14 of the receptacle 10, and to limit the stop 60 to move relative to the receptacle 10.

The oblong hole 61 of the stop 60 includes a length shorter than that of the slot 41 of the block 40, and the stop 60 may also be engaged with the latch members 30, and may also be provided to limit the latch members 30 to move relative to the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, when one of the drawers 20 is pulled and moved out of the receptacle 10, the inclined surfaces 24 of the actuator 22 may be forced to engage with the inclined surfaces 34 of the bulges 33 of the latch members 30, in order to move the latch members 30 up and down along the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10, and thus to contact or to engage the end protrusions 31, 32 of the latch members 30 with the flat surfaces 25 of the actuator 22 of the other drawers 20, such that the other drawers 20 may be locked to the receptacle 10 with the latch members 30, and such that the other drawers 20 may be prevented from slipping out of the receptacle 10 inadvertently, particularly when the drawers 20 receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools therein.

The block 40 may be biased to engage with the latch members 30 by the spring member 44, and may move and align the end protrusions 31, 32 of the latch members 30 with the flat surfaces 25 of the actuator 22 of the drawers 20 when none of the drawers 20 are pulled and moved out of the receptacle 10, such that the drawers 20 may be anchored to the receptacle 10 by the latch members 30 and by the spring-biased block 40, before one of the drawers 20 is pulled and moved out of the receptacle 10. The latch members 30 may be caused to move up and down along the vertical channel or track 14 of the receptacle 10 by the engagements between the inclined surfaces 24, 34 of the actuator 22 and the latch members 30, only when one of the drawers 20 is pulled and moved out of the receptacle 10.

Accordingly, the cabinet in accordance with the present invention includes a locking device for locking some of the drawers, and to allow only one of the drawers to be pulled and moved out of the cabinet, and to prevent the other drawers from slipping out of the cabinets or tool boxes inadvertently, particularly when the drawers receive or store or carry heavy objects or tools therein, and to prevent the other drawers from hurting people.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A cabinet comprising: a receptacle including a chamber formed therein and defined between two side portions, and including a plurality pairs of lateral drawer guides attached to said side portions thereof respectively, and including a track formed therein and defined between two side walls and an inner wall, a first drawer and a second drawer each including two side runners slidably attached to said drawer guides of said receptacle, to slidably attach said first and said second drawers to said receptacle, each of said first and said second drawers including an actuator provided thereon and having an upper inclined surface and a lower inclined surface and a flat surface formed therein, a plurality of latch members slidably received in said track of said receptacle, and each including two end protrusions provided thereon, each of said end protrusions including an inclined surface formed thereon, and arranged for engaging with said inclined surfaces of said actuators, to allow said latch members to be moved up and down along said track of said receptacle by said actuators of said first and said second drawers, and a spring biasing means for biasing said end protrusions of said latch members to engage with said flat surfaces of the actuators, and to anchor said drawers to said receptacle, and said inclined surface of said actuator of said first drawer being forced to engage with said inclined surfaces of said latch members and to move said latch members up and down along said track of said receptacle, and to engage said end protrusions of said latch members with said flat surface of said actuator of said second drawer, and thus to anchor said second drawer to said receptacle when said first drawer is pulled and moved out of said receptacle.
 2. The cabinet as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a third drawer including two side runners slidably attached to said drawer guides of said receptacle, and including an actuator provided thereon and having an upper inclined surface and a lower inclined surface and a flat surface formed therein, said end protrusions of said latch members being forced to engage with said flat surface of said actuator of said third drawer and to anchor said third drawer to said receptacle when said first drawer is pulled and moved out of said receptacle.
 3. The cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring biasing means includes a block slidably received in said track of said receptacle, and engaged with said latch members, and a spring member engaged between said block and said receptacle, to bias said block to engage with said latch members, and to force said end protrusions of said latch members to engage with said flat surfaces of the actuators.
 4. The cabinet as claimed in claim 3, wherein said block includes a slot formed therein, a fastener engaged through said slot of said block, and attached to said receptacle, to slidably secure said block to said track of said receptacle, and to limit said block to move relative to said receptacle.
 5. The cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receptacle includes a stop slidably received in said track thereof, and engaged with said latch members, and includes an oblong hole formed therein, a fastener engaged through said oblong hole of said stop, and attached to said receptacle, to slidably secure said stop to said track of said receptacle, and to limit said stop to move relative to said receptacle.
 6. The cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said end protrusions of said latch members each includes a bulge extended upwardly therefrom and having said inclined surface formed thereon. 